


Atonement

by articcat621



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-21
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2017-12-30 01:55:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1012652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/articcat621/pseuds/articcat621
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione doesn't feel ready to start dating again after being hurt in the past.  Draco, however, thinks she is.  With some meddling on his part, he manages to hook Hermione up with his father, Lucius.  Will all end well for them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A huge thanks to Krissy and AnnHarrisForever for both looking this over. I appreciate it. I hope you all enjoy the start of this new story!
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

**Chapter One**

Hermione Granger sat in her office, a sigh escaping her lips. She glanced at the stack of papers that she needed to go through and sign and groaned. She let her head fall forward and bang her desk. She absolutely loathed paperwork.

After the war, Hermione was the only one of the Trio who returned to Hogwarts to finish her "seventh" year. Ron and Harry had immediately accepted their honorary NEWTS and went straight into Auror Training.

Hermione couldn't accept those NEWTS. She didn't feel right taking something she didn't achieve herself. She wanted to sit down and do the hard work herself. Professor McGonagall was pleased when Hermione expressed interest in returning to the school. A few other students returned as well.

Hermione was surprised to see that Draco Malfoy had returned to Hogwarts to re-do his final year. He claimed that the stress of having Voldemort live in his home caused his focus and grades to suffer. The school board agreed to let him re-do the year.

At first, there was a lot of awkwardness and tension between the two of them. However, after a shouting match, which then turned into a sob fest, the two of them instantly became friends.

Draco was still the cocky prick she had known for all those years, but she found that he could be nice when he wanted to be. He was also an incredibly loyal friend.

They bonded over the fact that they were both victims of the war and they had both lost people they loved.

Narcissa Malfoy had been killed in a rogue Death Eater attack a few months after the war had ended. Draco was devastated by the loss of his mother and Hermione had offered him all the comfort that she could. Despite the years that have gone by, she knew that he was still hurting.

Hermione had lost both of her parents during the war. Despite the fact that she had wiped their memories and sent them to Australia, they had still been found. She had suspected it was the work of Bellatrix Lestrange, but Hermione couldn't be sure. Her efforts to protect them had been for nothing, thanks to that vile witch.

Bellatrix was currently locked in Azkaban awaiting the kiss. They hadn't notified anyone of when it would be as of yet, but Hermione hoped it would be soon. Subconsciously, she touched her left arm. The woman still plagued Hermione's dreams and would often cause her to wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. She shuddered at the thought.

The door to her office swung open and Draco strolled in. Dropping down into a chair, he put his feet up on her desk.

"Merlin, Draco," Hermione hissed, shoving his feet off her desk. They landed onto the wooden floor with a thud.

He grinned. "Let's go out."

Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "I don't think so, Draco. As you can see, I have all this paperwork to go through."

Leaning forward, Draco put his hands on his knees. "Merlin, Hermione, you look like absolute shit."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Thanks. You're so kind."

Draco stood, walking around the desk to stand next to her. "No, really, Hermione, you don't look too good at all."

Hermione closed her eyes. "I'm exhausted."

Draco crossed his arms. "You work too much; that's your problem."

"Well, maybe I have a boss that expects far too much of me," she replied, sticking her tongue out.

Draco held his hands up in mock protest. "I do no such thing. And I know for a fact that my father isn't pushing you too hard either. Hermione, you set your own hours. You know that."

Hermione remained quiet as she knew he was right. After they had both received their NEWTS, Draco had taken over his share of Malfoy Industries. He had decided to use some of the funds to dabble in the Muggle medical world. He had originally hired Hermione as a consultant, but she had soon taken over most of the affairs.

Hermione's job was to make sure that Malfoy Industries didn't break the code of Secrecy and that they remained free of all legal implications. It was harder than it sounded.

Draco could sense he had upset her. "Look, Hermione, I'm just saying I know you're still upset because of what happened with Ron. You need to let it go."

Hermione glared at him. "I'm not upset—"

"Yes you are," Draco cut her off. "When you're upset, you throw yourself into your work. It's your natural defence, Hermione, and I understand, really I do." He moved forward and took her hands in his. "But it isn't healthy. I'm worried about you."

She nodded, feeling a silent tear slide down her cheek.

"Hermione, don't cry! I didn't mean to upset you…" Draco trailed off.

She sniffled. "It's alright. Just listening to you makes me realise how right you are. I'm so bloody miserable!"

"Hermione, it's all right to be upset."

"I'm not upset!" she cried. "'I'm lonely! When I'm not here, I'm at home moping around and being miserable. It's pathetic!"

Draco pulled her into a tight hug. "You're not pathetic."

Hermione hugged him back tightly. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a knock on the door.

Hermione broke away from the embrace, quickly wiping away her tears. Clearing her throat, she muttered, "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Mr Malfoy standing in the doorway. Glancing at him, she saw he looked as regal as ever. Hermione never understood why he always looked like perfection.

"Ah, Miss Granger, I was looking for Draco. And here he is," Malfoy Sr. said. Lucius Malfoy had spent two years in Azkaban for his crimes during the War. Now, still the Head of Malfoy Industries, he controlled the financial area of the business.

Hermione still felt on the fence about Lucius. He seemed to have changed since the War, but she still felt wary of him. He was always polite to her and seemed to have no qualms about her working for the family company, and yet, Hermione couldn't help but feel cautious.

In a way, she pitied the older man. He had lost so much in the war, just like everyone else. Losing his wife and his reputation must have been difficult. People treated him terribly, and she felt bad for him.  
He wasn't an evil person, but much of the Wizarding community was too blind with prejudice to see past the fact that he was an ex-Death Eater.

Hermione waved them away. "I'm going home for the day."

Draco nodded, walking off with his father. "Hermione, this conversation isn't over!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Hermione ignored him, quickly grabbing her papers and disappearing through the Floo Network.

* * *

Lucius walked down the hall to his study. Draco trailed behind him. He just wanted to check on Draco's progress on his son's latest project.

"How are things?" he asked as Draco sat down on the sofa.

"Fine," Draco answered stiffly. "Hermione's in the process of finding a Muggle college to allow us to test the latest medication."

Lucius nodded. "That's good. What does this one do?"

"It's in the form of a pill. The idea was to put a sleeping and calming draught into pill form. Muggles have their own version of a sleeping pill, but it's absolute rubbish," Draco explained.

Lucius nodded. "Miss Granger seems like a very positive asset to this company."

Draco smirked. "Of course she is. She's bloody brilliant."

"Brilliant enough to settle down with?" Lucius asked, raising his eyebrow.

Draco shook his head. "Merlin, no! She's just my friend. Besides, I've been seeing the younger Greengrass girl."

Lucius nodded. "Good."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I have plenty of time to settle down, Father, no need to worry."

Lucius shook his head. "I'm not worried, Draco."

He tilted his head to the side and carefully watched his father. "Why are you so interested?"

"Can't a father take an interest in his son's love life?" Lucius asked, feigning innocence.

Draco snorted, crossing his arms. "No. What are you thinking about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The two remained silent for a few minutes. Suddenly, Draco realised what was going on.

"How's your love life going, father?"

Lucius huffed. "There is no love in my life anymore."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Look, I know you loved Mother, and she loved you too, but your marriage wasn't perfect. You know it, I know it, and the whole world knows it. You need to move on, Father, and find someone else."

"I do not and will not," Lucius replied with a huff. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Draco shrugged. "You're lonely, and that's normal. I just don't want to see you so sad."

"I'm not sad," Lucius replied stiffly.

Draco shrugged. "Well, I'll see myself out." He stopped just outside the doorway. "Just think about it, Father. I want you to be happy."

* * *

Later that evening, Draco found himself lying on his bed in the Manor. He needed to find a way to help Hermione. He knew she was bloody miserable with her social life and he had to do something to change it.

And at the same time, he needed to do something to help his father as well.

Hell, they were both so bloody lonely.

Draco's eyes flung open. "That's it!" he exclaimed to himself excitedly.

The two of them were being plagued by loneliness, so what better way to fix things than to get them together?

Draco grinned mischievously. He had some planning to do.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A huge thanks to Krissy and AnnHarrisForever for both looking this over. I appreciate it. Thanks to everyone who's leaving reviewings, favorites, and followings!
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

**Chapter Two**

"Hermione, I'm worried about you," Harry said, setting his teacup down on the table.

She shook her head. "There's really no need to worry, Harry. I'm perfectly fine." She took a sip of her tea, not liking where the conversation was heading.

"Hermione, you're not okay and everyone can see it," Harry said as gently as he could. It was obvious Hermione was hurting, even if she didn't want to admit it to anyone.

"Is that why you're here, Harry? To talk to me about how terrible I look? About how my lifestyle is slowly killing me? Because I already know that, I'm not stupid," she snapped, before standing and carrying her teacup to the sink, dropping it inside. The teacup shattered.

Wrapping her arms around herself, a sob escaped her lips.

Harry immediately went to her side and pulled her in for a hug. "Hermione, that's not why I'm here, I'm here because I'm your friend and because I care about you. I hardly see you anymore, and I miss you."

"You're so busy with work, and besides you have a baby on the way," Hermione sighed, wiping the tears away on her sleeve. "I just think that maybe if I had done something different, I'd be like that too."

Harry's eyes widened. He knew she still blamed herself about Ron. Hugging her tightly, he shook his head. "Hermione, that wasn't your fault. The only one to blame is Ron, and he's the biggest prick that I have ever met."

Hermione shook her head. "If I had acted differently, then maybe he wouldn't have—"

"No, don't even go there, Hermione. You can't live your life with what ifs. Yes, that happened, but it's in the past now. It's time for you to move on. You deserve to be happy, Hermione," Harry broke away from the embrace and quickly repaired the broken teacup in the sink.

Hermione just looked at him. "All a relationship would do is distract me."

"Distract you?" Harry asked, a puzzled look appearing on his face.

"Yes, it would only serve as a distraction to the work that I really need to be doing," Hermione explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry sighed. "You're using your work as a distraction! Hermione, look at yourself! You've lost more weight than I can count, you don't go out anymore, and you barely return anyone's owls." He moved over and cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "I'm worried about you. Hell, we're all worried about you."

"Don't," she said sadly. "I'll be fine."

"No, you won't be unless I step in and do something. Hermione, do you know how painful it is for me to watch my best friend, the brightest witch of this age, wither away to nothing? I won't stand by any longer. I can't," Harry stated.

Hermione pursed her lips. "I'll think about going out."

"Good," Harry said with a smile, "because it's Fred and George's birthday this weekend and we're going out to celebrate."

Hermione pulled a sour face. "Do I really have to go?"

"Yes, you do," Harry said, crossing his arms and looking sternly at her. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Fine," Hermione grumbled. She knew Harry and Draco were both right. She was miserable and she needed to go out more often. The only way she was going to do that was if she actually went out.

Harry grinned. "Wonderful! I'll stop by on Friday night and pick you up. Draco's been invited so he'll be there too." Harry and Malfoy hadn't gotten along at first, but when they realised that they both cared about Hermione's welfare more than anything, they started getting along. The issue with Ron unified the two boys even more.

"I'll see you then," Hermione mumbled. She gave Harry a hug goodbye.

"Alright, and do stop by sometime Hermione, Ginny really misses you," Harry said, looking at her. Harry hugged her once more before disappearing into the fireplace.

With a groan, Hermione threw herself onto the couch. She knew she had to do this, she just didn't want to.

Ron had hurt her in more ways than one, and Hermione knew she was having a hard time getting over it. Despite the fact that it had been a year ago, she was still hurting.

But maybe the only way she would heal was if she found someone else?

She hadn't dated anyone since Ron, so wouldn't know unless she tried.

With a moan, Hermione put a pillow over her face. She didn't have anything to wear for tomorrow.

* * *

"Potter, did you talk to her?" Draco asked, poking his head into Harry's office at the Ministry.

Harry looked up and met his gaze. "I did, she's going tomorrow night."

Draco smirked, pleased with Harry's answer. "Good, it's about time."

Harry sat back, shaking his head. "I didn't realise how bad things were."

Draco nodded. Hermione was getting worse and something had to be done. He had already started formulating a plan to get his father and Hermione together.

"Thanks for calling me, by the way."

Draco grinned at him. "No problem. When it comes to Hermione, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her."

Harry nodded. "I feel the same way."

"She keeps using work as a distraction so she doesn't have to face her feelings," Draco stated.

"Yeah, she said the same thing to me," Harry replied, frowning. She would be alright though; he would make sure of it.

"She'll be fine, I've got a plan," Draco said, grinning mischievously.

Harry arched his eyebrows, "Do I even want to know?"

He shrugged. "Probably not."

Harry shook his head. "Then I don't want to know."

Draco winked at him. "See you tomorrow night, Potter."

Draco had it all figured out. He would ask his father to meet him for dinner at his favourite restaurant, and then ask Hermione to meet him there as well. They would both go, expecting to meet him there for dinner, and voila, a match made in heaven. It was perfect. Since they were going out for drinks for the twin's birthday, he figured Thursday would be good.

* * *

"Ginny?" Hermione asked, poking her head through the Floo system.

"Hermione?" Ginny's voice rang out.

"Can I Floo over?"

"Yes! Just give me a moment and you can come through!"

"See you soon!" Hermione pulled away from the fireplace, running to the bathroom to check her appearance. She was wearing a light blue cardigan and some khaki pants. Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun and some pink lip gloss was dabbed on her lips.

Checking her watch, she decided she would Floo over. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the fireplace shouting, "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place!"

Stumbling out, Hermione brushed the soot off her clothes. Looking up, she saw Ginny run over to her. She held her arms open, allowing Ginny to crash into them.

"Oh, Hermione, I've missed you!" Ginny sobbed, holding her close.

Hermione sniffled, hugging her tightly. "I've missed you, too." Pulling away, she looked her up and down. She smiled when she saw the bump. "How far along are you?"

Ginny touched her stomach. "Four and a half months, it's a boy!"

"Oh, Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed, squeezing Ginny's hand. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny said, smiling at her friend. "I'm so glad you decided to stop by!"

Hermione blushed. "I actually need your help."

"I figured as much. What can I help you with?" Ginny already had a feeling but wanted Hermione to tell her. She was quite pleased that her husband went and spoke with Hermione earlier in the day.

Hermione stared at her hands. "Well, I told Harry I'd go out tomorrow night, but I don't have anything to wear."

Hermione felt Ginny slam into her for another hug. "Say no more!" she cried. "We're going shopping!"

"Good because, Ginny, I desperately need your fashion advice."

Ginny nodded. "We'll go right now. Let me just grab some money and leave Harry a note."

* * *

Hermione pulled the dress down. "It's too short, Ginny."

"Nonsense," Ginny called from the other side of the changing room. "Come out and show me."

"I'm practically naked!" Hermione protested.

"Then it's perfect!" Ginny replied cheekily.

Hermione checked her appearance once more in the mirror. The dress was red, stopping mid-thigh. It had a scoop neck, which showed far too much of her cleavage, and three-quarter length sleeves. There was a black flower made out of lace right on the hip.

"Hermione, let me see it!" Ginny exclaimed impatiently.

With a sigh, Hermione stepped out of the dressing room. "Here," she said, twirling around quickly.

Ginny's jaw dropped as her eyes widened. "You look stunning!"

Hermione blushed, tugging at the bottom of the dress. "It's too short."

"Nonsense," Ginny said with a wave of her hand. "It looks perfect on you."

Hermione chewed on the inside of her mouth. "Fine, I'll get it, but I want to get another dress as a backup just in case."

Ginny looked quizzically at her.

"I don't have anything in my wardrobe apart from work clothes, Ginny. If I'm starting to get my social life back on track, I'm going to need some new clothes." Hermione blushed slightly, clearly embarrassed.

Ginny nodded, a huge smile lighting up her face before she left the dressing room to find Hermione some more dresses to try on.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JKR owns the Harry Potter fandom, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story. AnnHarrisForever, thank you so much for betaing this.

Hermione checked her appearance in the mirror. She was wearing the second dress she had bought yesterday on her shopping trip with Ginny. It was white lace, stopping just above her knee with long sleeves. The back was open, revealing some of her flesh. She had decided that she would leave her hair down like usual but used a barrette to pin some of her locks to the side.

Glancing at the clock, she realised Harry was going to be here any minute. Butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. She hadn't been out for a social event in such a long time and was a bit nervous about doing so. She sat down, hoping to calm herself.

"You're Hermione bloody Granger; you can handle a few drinks and a social event," she told herself, trying to build up her confidence.

There was a knock on the door. She stood up and walked over to answer it. Opening the door, she let Harry in. He smiled when he saw her. "Hermione, you look beautiful," he said, pulling her in for a tight hug.

Blushing, Hermione hugged him back. "Thanks, Harry."

"You ready?"

She nodded. "Let's go." She hooked her arm through his, waiting for him to Apparate them.

With a pop, she noticed they were in Hogsmeade. Hermione looked around, a small smile on her face. "I haven't been here for ages," she whispered. Nostalgia filled her mind, making her think of all the years of fun she had had here.

"Everyone's already inside."

Hermione nodded and the two of them entered the pub. Immediately she was bombarded with loud noises and bright lights. It seemed the party was already in full swing.

Harry left Hermione's side to go and find Ginny, leaving Hermione in the doorway. Feeling slightly anxious, she looked around. Spotting Draco near the bar, she walked over to him.

However, before she had taken another step towards him, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back. Panic swelled up in her chest as she turned around. Seeing Fred's grinning face made her relax.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Fred asked, cocking his head to the side looking at her.

"It looks like Little Miss Granger decided she'd finally come out and play," George answered with a smile.

"And on our birthday no less, George."

"How did we get so lucky, Fred?"

Hermione giggled. She gave them each a hug. "Happy birthday you two. I didn't have time to get you anything; I'm sorry."

Fred hugged her again. "Seeing you here is a present in itself."

George nodded. "We've missed you ‘Mione, and we were starting to worry that we'd never see you again!"

Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "Well, I've seen the light boys and I'll be out a lot more from now on."

"Good," George said with a smile.

"Now, we'll let you go see the ferret at the bar," Fred said with a wink.

Hermione giggled once more, before making her way towards the bar. She really had missed them. "Hey," she said, sliding into the seat next to Draco.

He turned, smiling when he saw her. "Wow, you look great."

She blushed. "Thanks, Draco. Be a gentleman and buy me a drink."

He let out a laugh, motioning for Madam Rosmerta to bring over another round. She placed four shots down on the counter, smiling brightly at Hermione.

"Firewhiskey tonight?" she asked, arching her eyebrow at him.

"It's what I was drinking before you arrived," he said with a shrug.

Hermione nodded, knocking the liquid back. It burned the whole way down, making her eyes water. It had been a while since she had drunk the amber liquid.

"Do you want to get dinner tomorrow night?" Draco asked, smiling at her.

Hermione eyed him warily. "I thought you were seeing Astoria?"

Draco nodded. "I am, but that doesn't mean I can't take my best friend out for dinner, does it?"

Hermione smiled softly. "I suppose not. Oh alright, when and where?"

"Moreau's in London, it's Italian. And say, six o'clock?"

Hermione nodded. "That sounds good."

Draco beamed, "Wonderful."

They continued their round of shots. Eventually, Fred and George came over, and had a round or two with them as well.

"I think it's so ironic that you two were born on April Fool's Day," Hermione said with a giggle.

Fred furrowed his eyebrows. "We're not fools, Hermione."

"I don't see how that's funny," George added.

She looked at the two of them wide-eyed. "You mean you've never heard of April Fools?" They both shook their heads. "Well, it's a Muggle holiday, well, not really a holiday, but sort of, but-"

"Your rambling, Hermione," Draco said, raising his eyebrows. She was so adorable when she was drunk.

"Oh, right," she continued. "Well, it's a holiday for jokes! You pull jokes on someone all day long, and that's just like the two of you!"

Fred grinned mischievously. "A day for jokers?"

Hermione nodded. "It's quite funny, unless you're the one at the receiving end of the joke."

"Well, Hermione thanks for that interesting bit of information," George said, giving her a quick pat on the back. He took off. Fred blew her a kiss, before following his brother.

"They're so nice," Hermione said dreamily.

Draco nodded. "Yes, they are. I like the twins."

Hermione arched her eyebrows. "Are you gay?"

Draco sputtered, "Potter."

Hermione laughed. "You like Harry? I hate to tell you this Draco, but he loves Ginny."

"Hermione?" Harry asked from behind her.

Turning, she giggled when she saw him.

"I don't fancy you, Potter," Draco said, giving him a look of disgust.

Harry shook his head. "I came to check up on her, but it seems it's a bit late for that. You got her drunk," he said accusingly.

Draco shook his head. "I did no such thing; she got herself drunk."

Harry looked at him suspiciously.

"She's having fun, look at her."

"She won't remember this by tomorrow," Harry countered.

"That's even better then," Draco said with a smile. Harry still scowled. "Look, everyone else is drunk too. But she's fine. She's here, what more do you want?"

"I want you to take her home, and make sure she's alright."

"Sure, sure," he said, standing. "Hermione, we're going home."

"Can I sleep in your bed again?" she asked, smiling at him.

Draco froze, his cheeks getting hot.

"What did you do?" Harry asked, his cheeks growing red with anger.

"Nothing," he stammered. "She spent one night at my place, but we didn't do anything, I swear!"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "You told me nothing happened between you!"

"It didn't I swear, it was after the Weasley incident... she was so upset, I couldn't just send her home like that!"

Harry rubbed his temples. "You know what, just get her home."

Draco nodded; glad he was escaping with his body still intact. Potter had obviously had a bit to drink and looked ready to kill. Who knew the Boy Wonder would be so protective?

"Put her in her own bed," Harry shouted after them. Draco gave him a thumbs up, causing Harry to chuckle.

Wrapping his arms around Hermione, he Disapparated them with a pop.

* * *

Looking around, she giggled. "We're at my house."

"I know, Hermione," Draco said, pulling her towards her bedroom. Once inside, he helped her out of her dress. Moving towards her dresser, he pulled out an old Quidditch jersey and some shorts. He helped her pull them on, which was more difficult than it sounded.

After she was dressed, he helped her to bed.

"I'm real proud of you, you know," Draco said, giving her a smile.

"Thanks, Draco," she mumbled sleepily. "I was ready."

"You are ready," he said, brushing the hair from her face. Standing up, he made his way towards the door. He was about to leave, but her small voice stopped him.

"Thanks for being my best friend."

He looked back at her. "Thanks for being mine."

Closing the door behind him, he looked around her living room. She really was a neat freak. Chuckling, he stepped outside her apartment. Setting the wards in place, he Disapparated.

* * *

Returning to the Manor, he was surprised to see his father was still up.

"Draco, how was your evening?" Lucius asked, motioning for his son to take a seat in the study.

"Fine, although I found out that Hermione isn't really one for firewhisky." He laughed.

Lucius arched his eyebrows. "She didn't like the taste?"

"I think she liked it a little too much," he replied with a chuckle.

"Ah, I see."

Draco looked at his father. "Care to join me for dinner tomorrow night? Around six?"

Lucius pursed his lips, "Only if we go to Moreau's."

Draco nodded. He knew his father would say that. "I'll meet you there then."

Lucius stood and moved towards the table. He poured himself a small glass of brandy. "Is there a reason you want to go to dinner?"

Draco shrugged. "Just a public appearance and besides we haven't gone out together in ages."

"I suppose you're right."

"Good, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Father," Draco said, slipping out of the study. He walked to his bedroom, a smile on his face.


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Krissy and AnnHarrisForever, thanks for being my fabulous betas! And thank you to all of you who take the time to comment and review. I really appreciate it!
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

****

**Chapter Four**

Hermione was digging through her wardrobe trying to find something to wear. Her eyes kept stopping at the short red dress she had bought the other day, but she simply shook her head. She wasn't going to wear that. It was just casual drinks with a friend, not a date.

But after trying on at least three different outfits, she gave up.

"Screw it," she mumbled, grabbing the dress. She slipped it on, immediately loving the feel of the material on her skin. She still thought it looked too short, but she couldn't remember the last time she had looked so good. Moving into the bathroom, she put a bit of eyeliner and mascara on. She then pulled her hair back into a loose bun. Checking her appearance over in the mirror, she deemed herself ready.

Moving into the living room, she slipped into some heels. It was ten to six, so she decided it was time to leave. Closing her eyes, she Apparated to Moreau's.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at the restaurant. She had never been to Moreau's before but had heard fabulous things about the place. It had opened up in the upper end of Diagon Alley shortly after the war. Taking a deep breath, she walked inside.

"Can I help you?" the waiter asked, not looking up from his papers.

"Umm, I'm meeting Mr Malfoy here," Hermione said.

At the sound of the Malfoy name, the waiter looked up. His eyes almost bulged out of his head when he saw who was standing in front of him. "You're Hermione Granger!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Hermione blushed. "Yes, I am."

"Oh Merlin, I've read so much about you. It's an honour to meet you!" The waiter held his hand out for her to shake.

Still blushing, Hermione firmly shook his hand. After the Ron incident, Hermione really didn't go out in public. It made sense that once she became more public, people would be all over her. It was embarrassing, but she would deal with it. She was Hermione Granger after all.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mr.—?"

"David Wellesley, Miss!"

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you David, but I don't want to be late," Hermione said gently.

"Oh, yes of course. Mr Malfoy is in a private booth in the back. I'll take you to him."

Hermione nodded, following David towards the back of the restaurant. The ambience of the restaurant was nice, giving off a pleasant vibe. "He's right there."

Hermione thanked him for his help. Turning, she saw the booth ahead. Walking forward, she approached the table. "Hello, Draco," she said, looking up.

A small gasp escaped her lips. "Oh, Mr Malfoy, I'm sorry. I was supposed to meet Draco here for dinner, but I seemed to have gone to the wrong—"

"No, Miss Granger, I, too, was supposed to meet Draco for dinner. It seems we were both played tonight."

Hermione stood there awkwardly, the surprise still etched on her face. "Well, I'll just go then." She turned to walk away.

"Wait, Miss Granger, you might as well take a seat," Lucius said, reminding himself that he needed to be polite.

"If you're sure," Hermione said, sliding into the booth. She felt so incredibly awkward. _Merlin, when I get my hands on Draco, I'm going to wring his neck._

Meanwhile, Lucius was thinking the same thing. He was so surprised when he saw Hermione approach him. At once he knew Draco had set the two of them up. Why Draco thought Hermione would be a good match for him, Lucius wasn't sure. But he was certain that he was going to give his son a firm talking to when he got home.

Lucius was just going to leave, but when he saw that Hermione had dressed up and actually gone out in public, he just had to have dinner with her. Besides, there wasn't any harm in having dinner with an employee, right?

Hermione kept staring at her hands silently, and it was starting to bother Lucius. "Miss Granger, you look lovely," he said smoothly before taking a sip of his wine.

Hermione flushed. "Thank you, Mr Malfoy."

He smirked. "Well, since we're having dinner, we might as well use our first names."

"If you insist Mr Mal- Lucius," Hermione said. Her face was flushed. She was going to kill Draco when she got her hands on him.

The two fell into an awkward silence. The waiter came over. "Hello, my name is Pierre and I'll be serving you tonight. What can I get you?"

Hermione blanched. She didn't have time to look at the menu.

"I'll have the braised rabbit with steamed vegetables and she'll have the roasted salmon with lemon," Lucius said, sensing her distress. "Bring us a bottle of elven wine as well."

Pierre nodded, quickly walking away.

"Thank you," Hermione said softly.

Lucius nodded curtly. "The food here is exquisite."

"I've heard good things," she replied.

The two sat in an awkward silence once more. Hermione shook her head. "Draco is something else, huh?"

Lucius nodded stiffly.

Hermione internally sighed. She was just trying to make conversation, but he was just sitting there. She was starting to get frustrated. She sighed loudly, knowing that it was incredibly rude.

"Calm yourself, witch," Lucius replied.

"Well, you're not being very talkative, Lucius," she replied cheekily.

Lucius rolled his eyes. "I've been thinking. It stings a bit knowing my son wants me to find someone new."

Hermione was quiet. "Did Draco try and set us up?"

Lucius sent her an annoyed look. "Of course he did, why else would we both be sitting here?"

Hermione flushed. "Why would he? I mean you're so—"

"Don't finish that sentence," Lucius hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"I didn't mean—"

"But you did, Hermione. I know I'm a _nasty old man_ , and you're just so perfect," Lucius said coldly, his words cutting through her like ice.

"No, Lucius, that wasn't what I was going to say!" Hermione protested. "I simply meant that I hadn't thought of you that way before."

Lucius simply waved his hand. At that moment, Pierre came over with their food. He placed it down, asking if they needed anything else. Lucius quickly dismissed him.

Grabbing Hermione's glass, he filled it with the wine.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He remained silent.

The two of them ate dinner quietly. Hermione found that the salmon was cooked to perfection and was enjoying her meal immensely. She could see why so many people liked Moreau's.

Finishing, Hermione dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. "Thank you, Lucius," Hermione said, placing her napkin down onto the table.

"You're welcome, Hermione," Lucius replied.

She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was still upset.

"I'm sorry," she said gently. Reaching across the table, her hand brushed his. "Lucius, I've just grown accustomed to the idea that I would spend the rest of my life alone. Tonight, being out with you, it just shocked me, that's all. I didn't mean any disrespect to you at all. You're a wonderful man, Lucius, and I wasn't trying to be rude."

"Apology accepted," Lucius said. "I admit that I acted a bit harshly earlier, and I apologise for my rash behaviour."

"It's all right, Lucius." Hermione gave him a small smile. It wasn't their fault they were thrown into an awkward situation.

"Pierre, just put the bill on my tab," Lucius said. The waiter nodded. Lucius stood. "Allow me to escort you to the apparition point?"

Hermione nodded, standing up. "Thank you."

Lucius held his arm out to her. Taking a deep breath, Hermione grabbed onto it. The two of them walked out of the door, David waving enthusiastically at them. Once outside, Hermione shivered.

Lucius, ever the gentleman, handed her his cloak. "As wonderful as you look in that dress, it was rather foolish of you to forget a cloak."

Hermione blushed. "Yeah, I suppose I didn't really think that through." She slid the cloak on, grateful for its warmth.

Together, the two of them walked down the street. "Oh, I need you to sign some papers for me tomorrow," Hermione said.

Lucius smirked. It seemed the witch was always thinking about work. "Just bring them by my office tomorrow."

"Okay," Hermione said with a nod.

"Do you ever think about anything but work?"

Hermione laughed at that. She gave a shrug. "Sometimes. Not very often though."

"Well, it would be beneficial for you to do so."

Hermione stopped. They had approached the point. "Well, despite the awkward situation, I did enjoy being out tonight. So thank you, Lucius."

The older wizard flashed her a smile. "It's always my pleasure to escort a pretty witch out to dinner."

Hermione blushed.

Lucius took her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it.

Hermione's blushed deepened. "Good night, Lucius."

"Good night, Hermione," he replied, flashing her a smile.

Closing her eyes, Hermione Apparated home. Opening her eyes, she smiled. That actually wasn't that bad.

Vaguely, she realised she still had Lucius's cloak with her. Pulling it up to her nose, she sniffed. "Oh," she said softly. She sniffed again. That was the most wonderful thing she had ever smelt. It was a mixture of cologne and spices.

Hermione got ready for bed quickly. Climbing under the covers, her thoughts wandered. She had never thought of Lucius as a man. He was always just her boss or her friend's father, but after tonight, Hermione decided she wouldn't mind thinking of him as a man.

She inhaled the spicy scent once more before drifting off into a deep sleep.

 


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A huge thanks to Krissy and AnnHarrisForever for both looking this over. I appreciate it. Many thanks to those of you take the time to review - I truly value your comments and encouragement.
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

**Chapter Five**

Hermione opened her eyes groggily as she sat up. She saw Lucius's cloak draped over the back of a chair, causing the memories of last night to rush forward.

She had had dinner with Lucius Malfoy.

Hermione let herself fall back, her head hitting the pillow. She had had dinner with Lucius. _Sweet Merlin_.

"Hermione!" a voice called.

Sitting upright, she grabbed her pink silk robe. Shrugging it on, she made her way to the living room, where Draco's head was poking out of the fireplace. Her eyes narrowed when she saw him.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, you get your arse in my living room right this second or else!" she all but shouted at him.

"Ok, ok, eesh, keep your panties on!" he replied as his head disappeared from the fire grate. His whole body appeared a few moments later. He grinned at her, waggling his eyebrows. "How was last night?"

"Incredibly awkward you git!" she cried, smacking his shoulder.

"Awkward?" he said, a confused expression on his face.

"Yes **,** Draco, it was awkward. You set me up on a date with your father, who is my boss! It was awkward." Hermione glared at her best friend.

"Hermione, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just saw how lonely you both were and I just thought you'd be good for each other."

Hermione collapsed onto the couch, rubbing her temples. "Draco, did you really think this through? Do you want me to be your step-mother?"

Draco's eyes widened in horror.

Hermione laughed at his expression. "You obviously didn't think it through."

He sighed dejectedly before moving to sit next to her on the couch. "I'm sorry **,** Hermione, I guess I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay. I know you meant well."

He nodded. Turning, he watched as she chewed on her lower lip. That was a tell-tale sign Hermione was thinking hard about something. He smirked. "Did it go all right?"

Hermione groaned, glaring at Draco. "Yeah, it went all right. Your father was a perfect gentleman like usual."

"Well, at least it went well."

"Draco, we had dinner as colleagues because neither of us was looking at each other romantically. But now," she sighed. "Now I am thinking of your father romantically, and it's just created a huge mess!"

Draco's eyes widened. Yeah, his plan had definitely backfired.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"Sorry isn't going to change the fact that I want to jump your father's bones."

He cringed.

She shook her head. "I should have known better than to think it was like a real date, I just . . . I'm so confused."

"I am sorry," Draco whispered. He took Hermione's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "I'll fix things."

"No," Hermione said harshly. "You've done enough **,** Draco. I just want to pretend this never happened, okay?"

Draco nodded. "Okay."

Hermione sighed. She stood and began to pace. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face Draco. "Can you leave? I'm sorry but I'm really confused right now."

Draco stood. "I'll see you tomorrow at work." He disappeared through the fireplace.

Hermione collapsed onto the couch, groaning. She felt as if her emotions had been placed inside a blender and set on high.

Last night had put ideas into her head; ideas that certainly should not be floating around. Ideas that she desperately wished would go away.

Lucius was handsome. He was an incredibly handsome wizard. There was no way he'd settle for such a plain witch like herself.

Hermione internally scolded herself. She wasn't plain. She was pretty, she _knew_ she was pretty. But she just didn't think she was pretty enough, especially for him.

Lucius dated beautiful women. She saw in the papers, sometimes he'd have a French girl or a Swedish girl on his arm. They were always tall **,** blonde, and beautiful. Just like Narcissa was.

Hermione sighed. There was no way she could compete with that. Not when she was just over five feet tall and had insane curly brown hair. She was just too different.

_I'm not the beautiful he needs,_ she thought silently to herself. Why was she having such a pity party? Oh right, because of Draco. She growled softly.

"Damn you, Draco," she muttered to herself. Damn him for setting her up with Lucius. Damn him for putting these ideas in her head, ideas that obviously wouldn't come true. Damn him for sticking his nose in where it didn't belong.

Hermione wasn't sure if she was even ready to move on from the situation with Ron. Ron had hurt her, more deeply than anyone could possibly imagine.

And only four people knew what had actually happened there – Ron, Harry, Draco, and herself. No one else in the Wizarding World knew. None of her other friends knew just how deeply Ron had hurt her. And she wasn't sure if she wanted anyone else to know. They would judge and blame her. She wasn't sure her low self-esteem could take that.

A frustrated groan escaped her lips. She hated feeling like this. "You know what I need?" she said out loud to herself. "Ice cream."

Who cared if it was only nine o'clock in the morning? It was her day off, and she was going to spend it lying on the couch, eating ice cream, and watching soppy romantic movies. It was that kind of day and she wasn't ashamed to admit it.

Moving towards the kitchen, Hermione grabbed a tub of chocolate ice cream and a spoon.

"I need this," she told herself.

Her mind was still spinning, trapped in that metaphorical blender. But she'd ignore it by filling her mind with useless garbage.

"No, I won't think about him," she repeated to herself.

She wouldn't allow her thoughts to run towards that sexy wizard. The one with the sexy voice and the luscious blonde hair…. She wondered what it would feel like if she ran her fingers through it.

_Snap out of it Hermione!_ she scolded herself.

Clutching her ice cream tightly, she made her way towards the living room. Sitting down on the couch, she grabbed the remote. Turning on the TV, she set it to DVD mode. Walking over to the cabinet, she scanned the titles. Her fingers trailed along the shelf, finally stopping on a film.

"Perfect," she said, pulling out the DVD. "The Great Gatsby." It was the perfect film, filled with love, affairs, murder, and heartbreak **,** **e** xactly what she needed.

Popping it in the DVD player, she snuggled on the couch. The film started as she ate her first spoonful of chocolate ice cream. It was going to be a perfect day.

* * *

"Potter?" Draco called out.

"Come through," Harry replied.

Draco appeared in Grimmauld Place moments later. Harry was a bit confused as to why the blond was in his home. "What's up?"

"Well, you know how I had that great idea of setting Hermione up **…** " he trailed off.

"Oh, Draco, when did you get here?" Ginny asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Just a few minutes ago," he responded.

The redhead narrowed her eyes at him. Ginny still had difficulty trusting the Malfoys. She still blamed Lucius for what happened during her **f** irst year.

"You were saying **,** Malfoy," Harry said, interrupting their staring contest.

"Right **,** well, my plan backfired, much like you thought it would."

Harry looked smug. "I told you."

"Yeah, well, she was a mess when she kicked me out of her flat earlier, so you should probably go check on her."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea."

He stood, walking towards the fireplace. "Hermione!" he called, but nothing happened. "She **'s** blocked off her fireplace, that stubborn witch."

Draco shrugged. "She is stubborn, but that's why we love her."

Harry nodded, before disappearing through the door. He Apparated outside of Hermione's flat, fishing her spare key out of his pocket.

"Hermione?" he called out, stepping inside. He found her curled up on the couch, an empty tub of ice cream in front of her. She had tears pouring down her face.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, immediately worried.

"Daisy could have had it all!" Hermione cried out, flinging her pillow at the television. "She could have had Gatsby, the man who truly loved her! And she threw it all away, that ungrateful bitch!"

Harry cringed. He had never seen Hermione so into a film before.

"He threw all those parties just for her, made all that money for her, and she didn't even fucking call him." She blew her nose in a tissue. "She couldn't even call him," she whispered.

Harry wasn't sure what to do. "Hermione," he said gently, taking a seat next to her.

"Why couldn't she see that Gatsby loved her? And he died for her, and she couldn't even call him."

Harry pulled her in for a hug.

"She didn't even attend his funeral!" Hermione sobbed.

Sighing, Harry turned the TV off. "You need to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down **,** Harry James Potter!" Hermione shrieked at him.

"You're acting out of control," he said, trying to reason with her.

Hermione, however, was off on a tangent. "Get out!" she shouted.

"What? Hermione, I just want to talk!"

"No!" she protested. "I don't want to talk to anyone about anything, so get out!"

Harry didn't move so she quickly grabbed her wand. "You have five seconds," she said warningly.

He didn't need to be told twice. "I'll see you tomorrow!" he shouted before slamming her front door shut behind him.

"Good riddance," Hermione mumbled before grabbing another film. It was time for The Notebook.

 


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A very special thanks to my betas AnnHarrisForever and Krissy for looking this over - you both rock! To all those following along, I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

**Chapter Six**

Monday morning found Hermione seated at her desk in Malfoy Industries. Papers were scattered about chaotically on her desk, making it appear as if a storm had blown through her office. She had to file some papers and then do some reading, but she just couldn't get herself to focus. She was still on edge from the weekend.

Hermione pulled her hair back, looking at all the work she needed to do. Her thoughts kept drifting to the older wizard who was located a few doors down.

She glared at the cloak draped over the second chair. She had brought it to work, knowing she'd have to return it to Lucius. But the question was: when or how?

Should she wait and see if he'd come to her? Or should she take it to him? What should she say to him?

Hermione wanted to say something to him… anything, but she just didn't know what. And it was frustrating. She was Hermione Granger for Merlin's sake! She was the girl who always had all the answers, but not this time. She didn't have the answers, and that frightened her.

She had always been so in control of her thoughts and emotions, but now that control was slipping and she didn't know what to do. Her thoughts were racing a million miles per second, darting every which way, making it hard for her to keep a level head.

And what really frightened her was where these thoughts went. What these thoughts turned into.

Visions of her and Lucius in a passionate embrace would pop into her head, and she couldn't help but enjoy the way her insides would curl. This revelation brought her to the conclusion that what she really wanted was to go out with him again but on a real date.

She didn't know what to do. Should she act on these feelings? Or should she suppress them and hope they'd go away?

"Damn it, Draco," she cursed under breath. This was his fault. If he hadn't gone and stuck his nose where it didn't belong, she wouldn't even be in this mess.

"You rang, darling," a voice appeared in her doorway.

Sure enough, there was the source of her problems. "Not really," she muttered.

Draco strolled in, sitting down in a chair. He was wearing a huge smirk on his face, which was directed at her. Looking around, he spotted the cloak. "Is that my father's?"

She nodded, biting her lip.

"Are you going to give it to him?"

She shrugged. "I don't know yet." She began to shift through the papers on her desk.

He smiled knowingly. "Well, I've got a tidbit of information for you."

Hermione was quiet. She wouldn't let Draco draw her in again. She'd ignore him and he'd go away, just like an annoying child. It was all about reinforcement, and she wouldn't give in.

"About my father," Draco baited.

_Just ignore him, just ignore him,_ she continued to mentally chant to herself.

"Oh come on, Hermione, I know you want to know," he said, leaning forward and putting his elbows on her desk.

"Fine, what is it?" she asked, snapping at him.

"Well, he's locked himself in his study. I haven't seen him since your date."

She gaped at him. Snapping out of it, she shook her head. "Draco, how is that information? Was that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't."

He leant back, holding his hands up. "Calm down, Hermione. It is supposed to make you feel better."

"How?" she asked, arching her eyebrows. "I have a lot of work to do, Draco, so cut to the point."

"Fine, I have my suspicions that my father also enjoyed your little date. It's why he's locked himself away because he needs to think about things."

"Suspicions? Draco, your suspicions aren't going to help me. Why are you encouraging my feelings when you don't even know for sure how your father feels?"

"I'm just saying," he mumbled, crossing his arms defensively. He stood, pushing his chair back. "I'm just telling you that it affected him too."

She was quiet, the frustration inside her slowly dissipating.

"I just want you to be happy, Hermione, that's all," he whispered softly before leaving the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Collapsing into her chair, Hermione groaned. She hadn't meant to yell at him and now felt terrible that she had.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. She had work to do, and it was time she focused on it.

* * *

Hours later, Hermione finally put down her pen. She was finally finished.

Smiling to herself she stood to get her things ready. Packing some extra work into her bag, she realized she still hadn't addressed the issue of Lucius' cloak.

Biting her lip, she realized that she was being silly about the whole thing. She would just drop the cloak off at his office. In and out, no big deal. She could do this, conflicted feelings aside.

Taking the smooth material in her hands, she locked her office and made her way down the hall.

Hermione tried to keep her mind blank but Draco's suspicions kept appearing in her mind. What if Lucius did have a good time with her?

Could this turn into something more?

She mulled that thought over in her mind. She had no doubt that Lucius would be a very generous lover. He did have a snarky attitude and was controlling, but she imagined that was how he showed that he cared.

If this whole thing was to turn into something, Hermione knew that the two of them would end up butting heads many times. Lucius was very controlling but she wasn't one to be controlled. He was still set in his Pureblood ways, which normally drove her emotions up a wall.

She silently snorted to herself when she recalled convincing him to change to pens instead of quills. He had a hard time understanding just how barbaric using quills was. They were messy, annoying, and expensive.

At first, he had been venomously against the Muggle pens. She supposed some old habits did die hard. But once she saw how efficient they actually were, he changed his mind. Showing him how they worked had been amusing as well.

Lucius eventually came to appreciate her Muggle knowledge. She had answers to problems the others couldn't think of. Hermione knew she was an asset to his company.

Yes, the two of them would probably fight a lot, but she imagined the make-up sex would be fantastic. Color flooded her cheeks as she thought about that.

Glancing up, Hermione found herself standing outside of Lucius' office. Her heart raced as she lifted her hand to knock.

"Enter," his curt voice said through the door.

Swallowing the lump in her throat Hermione pushed the door open. Lucius was sitting at the desk, scribbling away at something furiously.

"What is it?" he snapped, not bothering to look up.

She wet her lips. "I was just returning your cloak," she said softly.

His hand immediately stilled and he looked up. His harsh features softened a bit when he saw her. "Hermione, thank you," he said, standing.

She smiled. "No, thank you. I…" she trailed off, panicking. What should she say? Looking up, she saw his grey eyes looking at her expectantly. "Thank you for the other evening," she said, her eyes darting around.

He half smiled, half smirked at her. "It was my pleasure."

Hermione blushed. "I enjoyed myself."

"I am glad; it is always my pleasure to escort a beautiful woman like yourself out."

She smiled at him. "Perhaps we could do it again sometime?" she asked, throwing herself out there. It was the moment of truth: he could accept or decline. The ball was now in his court and Hermione could only hope that Draco was right in his suspicions.

Lucius opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by his assistant, Adalia.

"Mr Malfoy, Miss Jade has owled wondering if you were still on for tonight."

Lucius tore his gaze from Hermione. "Yes, tell her I'll meet her at the usual place."

"Wonderful," Adalia said, sending Hermione a funny look before she left.

Hermione watched his movements carefully. There it was. She turned to leave.

"Hermione," Lucius began.

"No, it's fine," she said, turning back to face him. "I have my answer." She took a deep breath. "I hope you have a wonderful time tonight, Lucius."

His face turned stony once more.

Feeling utterly embarrassed, Hermione turned and fled without saying another word. She Flooed to her flat, immediately collapsing onto the sofa.

How could she have been so stupid as to think he was single? Lucius was an incredibly good-looking wizard. He was one of the Wizarding World's most eligible bachelors. He probably had women after him left, right, and centre.

Frowning, she placed a pillow over her face and screamed.

 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you so much to my betas, AnnHarrisForever and Krissy. And to everyone following, I hope you enjoy! Xx
> 
> If you are interested in checking out my other works or keeping up with me in general, I have an author's page on Facebook that you can check out (Articcat621's fanfiction) as well as a group (Articcat621's Fanfiction) that I try to be active in daily! I'm also on tumblr (articcat621) that you can follow along with me as well.
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

**Chapter Seven**

Hermione was standing in the kitchen when the doorbell rang. She knew she should probably go and answer the door, but she just didn't feel like it.

Hermione had been battling with her depression ever since Ron had, well, hurt her. He had hurt her in the worst way possible.

They had been engaged to be married. In fact, it was the night before their wedding. Hermione had gone out to spend the night with the girls at a Muggle hotel. Well, she had slipped down towards the bar to get everyone a round of drinks when she spotted Ron walking towards the elevators, a tarty blonde draped on his arm.

Their eyes had locked right as the elevator doors closed.

She had spent the rest of the night panicking and wondering what was going to happen. Their relationship was ruined, she knew that much.

But Ron had appeared at the Burrow the next morning, fully ready to make Hermione his bride. It was as if the previous night hadn't even happened.

Hermione's anger had gotten the better of her and she snapped. She remembered shouting at him, asking him just what the hell he was doing. He shrugged, replying that he was marrying her. Her hand had pulled back and formed a fist and before she even realized it, her hand flung forward, successfully breaking his nose.

He asked her what the hell that was for.

Well, Hermione completely lost it then, throwing herself at him and knocking him down to the floor. She had punched and scratched at him until he admitted what he'd done was wrong.

She told him the wedding was off and that she never wanted to see him again. Not when he had betrayed her trust like that.

Ron proceeded to call her all sorts of nasty things before she Apparated away from the Burrow.

And ever since then, Hermione had had a hard time going out. The memories still lingered and she was always afraid of what would happen if she let someone else in.

Harry and Draco knew about Ron's mistakes, but she didn't tell anyone else. She had simply told them she had changed her mind and didn't want to marry Ron anymore. Of course, everyone had their suspicions, but she'd never tell them the truth.

Someone rang the doorbell once more, before quickly knocking on the door.

Hermione ignored it. She had opened herself up, put herself out on a limb, only to fall flat on her face once more. And she didn't know how much more she could take.

"Open the damn door," a gruff voice sounded out.

With a dejected sigh, Hermione moved towards the door, pulling it open. She growled softly when she saw who it was. "What do you want?" she huffed, crossing her arms.

"I want to talk to you," Lucius said, brushing past her and striding into the house. He looked around, taking it all in. It was decidedly Muggle looking, but he supposed it had a sense of warmness in it, just like Hermione. Looking around, he assessed that this home was perfect for her. It was rather endearing.

Hermione slammed the door shut, huffing. "You can't just walk into my house just because you feel like it! That would be trespassing," she said, sending a glare his way. She moved back into the kitchen, Lucius following her.

"You opened the door, Hermione. I was not going to stand outside while you ranted and raved. And you did not appear to want any visitors, so I took it upon myself to enter your home. If you had any manners, you would have invited me in yourself."

She rolled her eyes at his propriety. "But you're right. I really don't want to hear anything you have to say, and I certainly don't want you in my home!"

"Yet here I am."

Hermione huffed. "Listen, Lucius, I don't really want to listen to anything you have to say. It was a mistake. I realize that now." She swallowed nervously, willing herself not to cry. "I'm not due at work for another hour, so I will see you then."

She turned away from him, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes. She immediately cursed herself for her weakness. Hermione prayed that he'd see himself out, but knew that those chances were slim to none.

Moments later, she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hermione," he said gently. "Please, look at me."

She shook her head, feeling like an idiot.

"Please," he said, once more, a bit more firmly this time.

Hermione whipped around, pointing her finger in his face. "What do you want, Lucius? Do you want to see me cry? Do you want to see me beat myself up over my stupidity? Tell me what I must do to get you to leave me alone in my grief!"

He looked shocked when he saw her eyes were red and puffy, the tears now flowing freely. "This is exactly why I needed to see you this morning, Hermione. I could not sleep last night knowing that I had foolishly caused you pain."

Hermione sniffled, quickly reaching up to wipe away her tears. "Well, you're here, Lucius. Please, just spit it out."

Lucius looked nervous for a moment before clearing his throat. "I have never done this before, so I really do not know how to proceed. However, I would like to apologize for yesterday. It seemed you were under the assumption that I was going out on a date, but I assure you that Miss Jade is a business partner, nothing more."

Hermione felt her throat go dry. "Nothing more?" she whispered, aware of how stupid she looked and felt.

She had jumped to conclusions and made an arse out of them both. How could she have been so stupid? Lucius was obviously interested in her, but she had been too blind to even notice it. Why did she always over think things?

"Nothing more," he repeated. "Hermione, I would very much like to take you out on a date. A real date."

His words shocked her. They were everything she had wanted to hear but couldn't bear to hope. "Really?" she croaked out.

He rolled his eyes, letting out a snort. "Yes, really. I enjoyed my time with you, Hermione, and would like the chance to do so again."

She found herself nodding. She was afraid to open herself up once more, but her feelings for Lucius grew so quickly and so deeply, she wasn't really sure what to do.

"Wonderful," he said, a pleasant smile on his face.

Shakily, she smiled back at him.

"I would like to apologize to you. I did not mean to upset you as it was never in my intention."

The pure honesty in his voice shook her to the core. "It's all right, Lucius, I overreacted. I see that now."

"You had every right to. I do not know what actually transpired between you and the Weasley boy, but it has obviously broken your trust. You reacted as any hurt person would. I can see now that I must proceed with caution, but I am completely willing to take things slowly. I have nothing but good intentions towards you, Hermione, and even if I have to wait years before you realize that, I would."

Hermione threw her arms around him. He was stiff at first, but slowly relaxed and moved his arms around her. "Shh, it's all right, Hermione. I promise I will not hurt you."

He held her as she cried, releasing all that bent up grief and pain. Before she knew it, the words were tumbling from her mouth as she explained what had really happened with Ron.

Lucius had kept his arms around her, holding her tightly as he listened to her story. As he realized just how much pain this young witch had gone through, he began to realize that this was the answer to most of her problems. It was why she didn't go out, why she reacted the way she did, why she was always so depressed.

A part of him wanted to find the boy and wring his neck for all the pain he had put Hermione through. But that wouldn't do anyone much good because then he'd be trapped in Azkaban, leaving Hermione on her own once more.

Eventually, Hermione left his embrace. She blushed, quickly wiping her face dry. Looking at him, she smiled before momentarily frowning.

"What?" he asked, worried that he had already messed up. He wasn't very good with crying witches so this was a bit out of his comfort zone.

"Lucius, I've ruined your silk shirt. I'm sorry!"

He simply waved his hand. "I've got hundreds more, no need to worry."

Hermione stared at him for a moment before exhaling deeply. "Thank you, Lucius, for everything."

"It was nothing," he said, sending her a dazzling smile. "I shall pick you up tonight at seven o'clock. Is that all right?"

Hermione nodded eagerly, excited that things were starting to look up.

Lucius bid her goodbye, leaving moments later. Getting ready, Hermione made her way to work, very excited for her date tonight.

 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thanks and big hugs to my wonderful betas, AnnHarrisForever and Krissy, who have been such big helps. Enjoy! Xx
> 
> If you are interested in checking out my other works or keeping up with me in general, I have an author's page on Facebook that you can check out (Articcat621's fanfiction) as well as a group (Articcat621's Fanfiction) that I try to be active in daily! I'm also on tumblr (articcat621) that you can follow along with me as well.
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

**Chapter Eight**

The day had gone by incredibly fast, and before Hermione knew it, it was time to head home. With a grin on her face, she started to stuff some papers into her suitcase. She had owled Ginny during her lunch break, asking her redheaded friend to meet her at her apartment to help her get ready. She wanted to look nice for her date tonight.

Hermione quickly locked her office and made her way towards the exit. She bumped into Draco on the way out, but quickly mumbled a "Can't talk now!" and kept walking.

Hermione Flooed home, grinning wildly when she saw Ginny in her living room. The redhead tackled her into a hug, squeezing tightly. "Hermione, I got so excited when I got your letter today!"

Pulling away, Hermione blushed. "I definitely need your help, Gin. Lucius and I are going out tonight and I want to make a nice impression."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Hermione, you work with him, and the two of you have gone out before. You don't need to worry about making a nice impression."

Running a hand through her curls, she sighed. "I'm just really nervous. I want things to work out between us."

"I guess so," she murmured, grinning. Taking a seat next to Hermione on the couch, she grasped her hand. "Things will work out, you'll see."

"But what if they don't?" Hermione asked, frowning. She was incredibly nervous that she would somehow mess this all up. She had obviously gone wrong with Ron somewhere along the line and was terrified that it would happen again.

It seemed her whole future was hanging by a thread, and she didn't know how strong that thread was. She hoped that she did have a future with Lucius, especially because she had fallen for him quite quickly. But if things didn't play out, she didn't know what she'd do.

"Hermione, you're one of the strongest people I know. I'm sure you'll be all right. No matter what happens, I'm happy for you and so is Harry."

Hermione turned to her, smiling weakly. "Harry is okay with Lucius and me?"

Ginny nodded, a grin on her face. "At first he was a bit confused, but Lucius is a gentleman, and he has certainly proven himself since the war has ended. I know he'll treat you right, and Harry does too."

"He is rather wonderful, isn't he?" she asked, sounding a bit like Luna Lovegood.

"We just want you to be happy, Hermione, and if Lucius is the one who makes you happy, then so be it. We will be behind you all the way."

"Thanks, Ginny," Hermione said, hugging her friend. "Now come on and help me figure out what to wear!"

The redhead giggled, standing. "I've already picked something out for you! I laid it out on your bed."

"Perfect!" Hermione exclaimed, looking at the clothes Ginny had picked out.

"Go try it on," Ginny said, shooing her towards the bathroom.

Hermione reappeared a few moments later, wearing a knee-length lilac dress. It was a strapless dress that had a sweetheart necklace. She was wearing a large chunky silver tone necklace, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Perfect! Now you just need some shoes." Ginny dug around in Hermione's closet, pulling out some patent leather heals moments later. "Try these on." She tossed them to Hermione.

She caught the shoes and slipped them onto her feet. She did a small twirl, causing Ginny to clap her hands together. "Perfect!"

Hermione smiled. "Thank you!" She gave a small bow.

"Now you just need a clutch to keep your stuff in." Ginny grabbed one from the closet, nodding. "This will do." It was silver and black.

Hermione checked her appearance over in the mirror. She beamed, turning around to hug Ginny. "You're a lifesaver, Ginny."

"That's what I'm here for! But I'll head off because I'm sure Lucius will be here any minute."

Hermione smiled, and they said their goodbyes. Ginny disappeared through the Floo, and moments later, there was a knock on her front door.

She walked over, opening it. Her heart beat wildly in her chest when she saw Lucius standing on the other side of the door. He was dressed nicely, wearing black dress pants and a crisp, white shirt. His long blonde tresses were pulled back, secured with a red ribbon. She suddenly got an urge to run her fingers through his hair.

"Lucius," she said, smiling at him.

"Hermione, you look lovely," he purred, taking her hand and kissing the back of it.

She flushed, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.

"Shall we go?" he asked, holding out his arm.

Hermione nodded, gripping his bicep. "Where are we going?" she asked as the two of them made their way onto the sidewalk. Would they Apparate somewhere? Or would they walk? It seemed that it'd be the latter.

"I made reservations for the two of us at a small Thai restaurant down the road. Is that all right?" he asked, casting a glance at her.

She nodded, beaming. She loved Thai, but never really ate at the Ginger Garden because it was a bit pricey for her. But the thought of Lucius taking her somewhere Muggle was decidedly pleasant, and she was very excited.

Together, they walked a few blocks over and eventually stopped outside the small shop.

"What?" she asked, noticing him peering down at her. Her heart raced nervously.

"I just wanted to do this before we stepped inside," Lucius replied, gently tipping her face upward so he could kiss her.

And kiss her he did. It was sweet and soft, the kind that made a girl's toes curl.

Moments later, he pulled away. "Come on," he said, opening the door for her. He placed his hand on her lower back to guide her in towards their table. They were seated in a remote area in the corner, candles on the table.

"It's lovely," she commented, taking a seat across from him.

The two of them got comfortable, each grabbing a menu.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" the waitress asked, coming over. She flashed Lucius a grin, obviously impressed by his looks.

Hermione sent the waitress a glare. They were clearly on a date, or was the waitress too stupid to notice that? After giving the waitress a fake smile, she reached across the table and took Lucius' hand. His steel grey eyes met hers, locking into a passionate stare. "I'll have a mineral water with lemon, please."

"I'll have that as well," Lucius replied, his gaze not leaving hers.

The waitress nodded, disappearing. She returned moments later, placing their drinks on the table without a word. Hermione and Lucius ordered their meals, and she left them.

"I didn't know you liked Thai," she said, making conversation.

He nodded. "It's delicious, but the real stuff is better of course."

"The real stuff? Have you been to Thailand?" she asked eagerly, her eyes lighting up.

Lucius smirked at her eagerness and nodded. "Years ago, I went on a business trip. It was beautiful… the culture is so rich there, and the scenery is simply breathtaking."

"Wow," she said, her eyes taking on a glossy feel. "That sounds wonderful."

"It is, and I'll take you some time."

"Really?" Her jaw practically dropped.

"Yes, Hermione. As you obviously know, money is no object, and I'd be happy to take you around the world."

"Lucius," she whispered in awe. It seemed he was perfect after all.

"Well, I may not be perfect, but I strive to be," he replied with a chuckle, causing her to blush. She hadn't realised she had said that out loud!

"Well, I appreciate it," she said, smiling at him. She gave his hand a tight squeeze.

Their food arrived a few minutes later, and it smelled delicious. Hermione had ordered some shrimp, and Lucius had ordered a vegetarian plate. The smell of curry filled her nose, and she felt her mouth water.

The two of them dug into their food, their feet bumping under the table every so often.

She was pleased with herself, unable to believe she was playing footsies with Lucius Malfoy. He smirked at her, causing chills to run down her spine.

They carried on the night chattering about different places in the world. Hermione had always wanted to travel, but it seemed she'd never had the time. But now, it seemed the opportunity was presenting itself in the form of Lucius. He had agreed to take her around the world, and she was pretty sure he was just looking for an opportunity to spoil her.

After the two of them had finished their dinner, they walked back to her home, hand in hand. The air was cool, but not uncomfortably so.

"I had a really good time tonight," she said shyly, glancing up at him.

Lucius gave her small hand a tight squeeze. "I had a nice time as well, Hermione."

"Do you think we could maybe do it again sometime?" she asked, her heart racing. The two of them had stopped walking and were not standing on the sidewalk.

He lightly cupped her face. "I would like that very much."

Hermione beamed at him. "Me, too."

"Perfect," he purred before capturing her lips in another kiss. This one was more heated than the last. His hands gripped her face as their tongues fought for dominance. It sent a fire throughout her body, settling in the pit of her belly. But all too soon, they broke apart.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your door," he said, gently taking her arm and leading her into her apartment building.

Hermione was grinning to herself, happy that the night had gone so well. She had been nervous that Lucius would lose interest in her, but it seemed that wouldn't be the case. So she was happy.

And Lucius was secretly pleased as well. His evening with the fiery witch had gone extraordinarily well, and he was pleased she had enjoyed herself as well. He found her display of jealousy in the restaurant to be endearing.

"Well, here we are," she said, smiling up at him. "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea? Or maybe something stronger?" Hermione honestly didn't want him to leave.

A small smile appeared on his face, and he nodded curtly. Putting her key into the door, the two of them stepped inside.

A gasp escaped her lips, Lucius stiffening beside her. He had his wand out and had pushed her behind him before she knew what had happened.

 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you so much, AnnHarrisForever and Krissy, for looking this over. I appreciate it! I also appreciate all the lovely reviews! Thank you! X
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

 

 

 

**Chapter Nine**

Her apartment was in shambles. The tables were upturned, books were scattered everywhere, and wallpaper was peeling off the walls. A struggled sob escaped her lips as she clutched onto Lucius' arm.

His eyes were sharp as he looked around the ruined room. He lingered in the doorway for a moment, before turning towards Hermione. "Send a Patronus to Potter."

Hermione nodded, her lower lip trembling. She hadn't realised she was crying until Lucius reached down and wiped away one of her tears.

"Stay here, Hermione," he commanded, before turning around. Holding his wand high, Lucius made his way into her apartment. He disappeared down one of the hallways and out of Hermione's sight.

Taking a ragged breath, Hermione quickly pulled out her wand. " _Expecto Patronum_ ," she said shakily, disappointment seeping through her when only an insignificant mist appeared. Closing her eyes, she tried to think of something happy.

Her thoughts drifted towards the kisses she had shared with Lucius, and warmth spread throughout her. " _Expecto Patronum_!" she repeated more firmly. Her silver otter burst forward, hovering before her. "Harry, my apartment's been broken into! Come quickly, and bring the Aurors!" Her otter swam around her for a moment, before taking off quickly.

There was a crash from inside her apartment.

"Lucius!" Hermione cried, rushing after him. She ran around the corner and found Lucius on the floor struggling with a black-clad figure. Without thinking, she pointed her wand and shouted: " _Stupefy_!"

The two of them rolled on the floor, missing the curse by inches, but her voice had gained their attention.

The intruder brought his hand forward, hitting Lucius square in the jaw. Momentarily distracted, Lucius wasn't able to block the punch sent his way.

" _Stupefy_!" Hermione shouted again as the trespasser stood and made their way towards her. She stumbled backwards, firing another curse, but they dodged it again.

Panicking, Hermione turned and ran towards the living room. Something hot flashed across her shoulder, causing her to cry out. She tripped over a lamp, falling to the floor. Flipping herself over, she nervously stared at the figure bearing down on her.

"What do you want?" she tried to ask bravely.

The figure chuckled. "There's a lot we want," he replied before lunging at her.

Hermione screamed, her hands coming up to shield her face, but the pain never came. Opening her eyes, she saw Lucius and the intruder duelling. She watched, momentarily dazed by the swiftness and ferocity that Lucius duelled with.

Quickly getting to her feet, Hermione pointed her wand and started shooting off spells. Her brow promptly shone with sweat as she moved about. Flashbacks of the war came back… She was fighting for her life.

The three of them duelled, the intruder alternating between Hermione and Lucius.

There was a loud crack, and Hermione heard someone shout. Before she could turn to see who it was, though, there was a bright blue flash, and smoke filled the room.

Hermione stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. She landed with a thud.

"Hermione!"

Slowly, she sat up, blinking her eyes a few times. "Lucius?" she called out, reaching towards the smoke in front of her.

A hand grasped hers.

" _Lumos_."

She let out a small breath of relief when she saw Lucius' face peering down at her. He gently cupped her face, brushing some dirt away. "Are you all right?"

Hermione nodded shakily, allowing him to help her to her feet. He tightened his arms around her as she leaned into his chest.

" _Evanesco_ ," another voice called out.

The smoke cleared, revealing Harry and a few other Aurors in the doorway. Harry had a worried expression on his face as he took in the room's appearance. His eyes landed on Hermione, and a strangled gasp escaped his lips.

Hermione left Lucius' embrace and ran towards Harry. She threw her arms around him, sobbing. He held her tightly as he motioned to the other Aurors, telling them to move in.

"Are you all right?" he asked worriedly, taking in her torn appearance.

"I'm fine now, Harry, but I…" she lost her trail of thought as Lucius walked towards them. He had a split lip, with speckles of dried blood on his face.

Hermione allowed him to tell Harry and the others what had happened. She listened quietly, still unsure as to why someone had broken into her home and attacked her.

"There was a moment when I was unconscious," Lucius said as he added, "I am not sure what took place during those moments."

Hermione wet her lips. "Well, the intruder approached me, and we moved into the living room. I asked what he wanted, and he replied 'there's a lot we want.' He answered in the plural sense, so it gives me the impression that he's working with someone else."

Harry scribbled that down on his notepad. "Have you had any hints or warnings that something like this would happen? Any threats?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know who would do something like this, Harry. I don't have any enemies."

Lucius let out an uncharacteristic snort.

_Are the two of them that narrow-minded?_

Hermione and Harry both sent him a look. "Mr Malfoy?"

He arched his eyebrows at them. "I'm rather surprised the two of you are seriously pondering this question."

They both looked at him quizzically.

Lucius sighed. "You are both the reason the Dark Lord fell. You have more enemies than you realise."

Hermione's eyes widened as she took in what he was saying. "Lucius, do you think that was a Death Eater?"

He nodded curtly as he said, "Not one that I know personally, but based on his fighting style, he was most likely someone from the lower ranks."

"But do you think he'd be working with other Death Eaters?" Harry asked, glancing up from his notebook.

Lucius shrugged. "I'm not sure. I suggest, Potter, stationing some men undercover in Knockturn Alley to see what you can find out."

Harry nodded, sighing. "Hermione," he looked around the room, "there's no way you can stay here anymore if someone breached your wards so easily."

"But—" she started to protest, but Harry sent her a stern look.

"I agree with Potter, Hermione. It's far too dangerous. You can stay at the Manor until this whole mess is sorted out." Lucius gently placed his hand on her lower back.

She felt her cheeks grow hot. "I don't need a babysitter!" she protested, sending each of them a glare.

"I never said you did," Lucius replied, amusement in his eyes.

Harry sighed, running his hand through his messy black hair. "It's only because we care about you, and want you to be safe."

Lucius' grey eyes met hers, and they stared at each other for a moment. Eventually, Hermione let out a sigh. "You're not going to let me refuse, are you?"

Lucius chuckled. "Of course not."

She sighed dramatically. "All right, I'll stay at the Manor with you."

"Wonderful. You can collect your things and leave, Hermione. I don't need to ask any more questions," Harry finished, going back into Auror mode.

Hermione gave him a quick hug and muttered a "thank you." She disappeared into her bedroom to get some clothes.

"Are you worried?" Harry asked, casting a glance towards the elder Malfoy.

Lucius nodded stiffly. "It seems the war isn't as over as we had thought."

Harry was quiet for a moment, lost in his thoughts. "Will you watch out for her?" he asked softly, knowing that Lucius would say yes. It'd be easier for him to find the perpetrator if he knew Hermione was safe.

Lucius nodded.

Hermione reappeared a few moments later, her familiar bag in her hands. "Got everything I need," she said, turning to Lucius.

"Come, I'll Apparate us to the Manor. Goodbye, Potter."

"Bye, Harry!" Hermione said, smiling at him as Lucius placed his arm around her waist. Holding her tightly, the two of them Apparated with a pop.

 


	10. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you all for the lovely reviews! I'm really pleased that so many of you are enjoying the story! A huge thanks to my betas, AnnHarrisForever & Krissy.
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.

**Chapter Ten**

Hermione opened her eyes, looking around the Manor. The foyer was sophisticated, and Hermione thought it was very Malfoy. The elegance was evident in all the rooms' furnishings from the rugs to the crystal vase on a table.

They had barely taken a few steps before Draco appeared in the doorway. He looked at them both, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Father? I felt the wards shift so I—" his jaw dropped at the sight of his father's bloody and beaten face.

"Draco, there's been an incident," Lucius began to explain, but it was at that moment that Draco saw Hermione.

"Merlin, Hermione! What on Earth happened? What happened to you both?"

"Well, there—"

"It looks like you both were in a fight, the _Muggle_ way I might add," he interjected.

"There was an intruder at Hermione's apartment. We don't know what they were looking for or what they were after, but they obviously meant her harm."

"Lucius," Hermione whispered softly, tugging on his sleeve.

"Of course, Hermione. Draco, we'll be retiring for the night, so please excuse us." Taking Hermione's hand, Lucius led her down the hall.

"Would you like your own room or?" he asked, looking at her. He wanted to lock the witch in his personal chambers and never let her leave, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't imagine Hermione liking that very much. So he'd let her decide.

She blushed. "Umm, I'll stay with you, if that's all right." She wasn't sure if that'd be proper or not, but after everything that had just happened, she didn't want to be alone.

Lucius nodded, taking her hand and leading her to his bedroom. He un-warded the door and stepped aside to let her in.

Hermione was struck by the colours of the room. She had expected green and silver but was met with blues and browns. The room had an earthy touch to it, which calmed her nerves significantly. Her eyes landed on the large bed, and she froze.

"Hermione?" Lucius asked, observing her stiff posture. "What is it?"

"I can't sleep here… Not where she…" Hermione slowly started to back up.

Lucius, understanding what she meant, quickly reached out and grasped her wrist. "Hermione, Narcissa has never been in this room. We hadn't shared a bed for years before she died."

"Didn't you love her?"

Lucius was taken aback. "I… Hermione, I did love Narcissa, but it was an arranged marriage. I loved her and cared for her because I was with her… not because..." he let out a huff. "It's hard to explain, Hermione."

"No, I think I do," she said quietly. "You loved her because it was your duty as her husband."

Lucius was quiet for a moment, musing over his relationship with Narcissa. He had hated her at first; she was a very spoiled girl when they met. But she grew into a strong, young woman that was a perfect mother to Draco and eventually he grew to love her. He did miss her, but that was all behind him now.

He glanced down and saw Hermione staring at him expectantly.

"Come on; let's get you into the tub."

She let out a sigh of relief and nodded.

Lucius placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to wince. "What's wrong?"

Hermione reached up and slid her sleeve down. "I was hit with a hex," she murmured, looking at the burnt skin.

"You silly witch! Why didn't you say anything?" he asked angrily, summoning a jar of paste.

"I forgot! With everything happening, it just slipped my mind." She blushed, feeling like a young schoolgirl being scolded by her teacher. "It doesn't even hurt," she protested, trying not to wince when he dabbed the cool paste on the burn.

"The skin has been charred, but it shouldn't hurt as much once the paste can set. It should be healed completely in a day or two." Lucius put the jar down, looking at her worriedly. "Are you all right, Hermione?"

"I'm fine, Lucius. Just really tired," she smiled up at him reassuringly.

"Most witches would be in a panic," he commented dryly.

"Well, I'm not most witches," she retorted with an eye roll.

"And thank Merlin for that." Lucius wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against his body. Leaning down, he captured her lips.

Hermione melted into the kiss almost immediately, enjoying the way his lips moved against hers. She felt herself growing more and more lightheaded as the seconds passed, her body tingling wildly.

Eventually, they broke apart. "Let's get you in the tub," he said, leading Hermione through a side door.

Hermione, still in a daze, allowed him to lead her. She wondered if every kiss would always leave her so breathless.

Turning on the tap, the tub filled with warm water and bubbles.

"I'll leave you be," Lucius said, heading to the door.

"No!" she said almost too quickly. Blushing, she tried to correct herself. "That is, you can stay, er, if you want. I don't mind."

Lucius smiled at her incoherent rambling. "If you wish."

She nodded.

"Then I'll be right back."

Blushing, she slowly undressed and got into the tub. The bubbles gave her some modesty but didn't do much to quell the flush on her face.

Lucius reappeared a moment later, two towels in his hand. He looked at her in the tub and felt himself immediately harden at the image. She looked like a goddess in his bathtub with her curls fanned out around her.

"Lucius?" she squeaked, squirming under his intense stare.

"May I join you?" he asked huskily.

Hermione nodded.

Lucius divested himself of his clothes, and Hermione averted her eyes. He climbed into the tub, sitting across from her.

They stared at each other for a moment, each unsure of what to do next.

"I'm not sure how to go about this," she whispered.

"Turn around," he commanded gently.

Nervously, she did as he said. Lucius moved closer to her, moving her hair from her shoulders. He noticed her trembling. "Don't be nervous, Hermione. We've both had a tiring day. I'm only going to wash you."

Her trembling stopped. "Okay."

He gently tipped Hermione's head backwards, wetting her hair. Grabbing some shampoo, he worked it in, making sure he got every curl. Hermione let out a small sigh. "That feels nice," she commented.

"You have beautiful hair."

She laughed. "My hair has been called many things, but beautiful is not one of them."

"Well, your hair is beautiful," he repeated. "Wild and untamed? Yes. But that makes it beautiful."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Lucius."

He rinsed her hair before adding the conditioner. After washing that out too, he poured some body wash onto a sponge. He began to rub her back, careful to scrub around her burn mark.

Hermione turned, allowing him to wash her front. The sponge glided over her breasts, causing her to shiver. Her tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry lips.

Lucius smirked, continuing to work downwards. He grabbed her foot, causing her to giggle. Lucius arched his eyebrow. "Are you ticklish?"

"No!" she answered almost too quickly.

Lucius tried to hide his pleasure at that fact. Tightening his grip on her ankle, he washed between her toes, causing her to laugh hysterically.

"Lucius, please stop!" she cried between laughs.

"I need to make sure you are squeaky clean." He continued his ministrations on the other foot.

Hermione's stomach hurt she was laughing so hard. "Please, Lucius! Stop tickling me!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears.

Eventually, he released her foot and finished washing her.

Hermione's chest was still heaving as grabbed the sponge. "Your turn," she said, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Don't you dare get any ideas, because I am _not_ ticklish," he said in his dry Pureblood voice.

"Party pooper," she mumbled scrubbing his chest. As she washed him, she committed every curve, blemish, and scar to memory. Her fingers gently traced a scar on his back.

"Bellatrix," he commented, his voice thick.

"I had no idea," she whispered. She rested her forehead against his bare back, her eyes fluttering closed.

"The war was hard on me too, Hermione. You were not the first to experience Bellatrix's violent tactics."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, feeling the corners of her eyes fill with tears.

Lucius quickly turned around, tilting her head upwards. "Don't cry for me, Hermione. I deserved what I got."

"But—"

"No, no buts. I was a Death Eater, Hermione. While I have reformed, it was not always so."

Hermione frowned. "That's in the past."

"It is. Please, Hermione, I don't like to see you so sad."

"Sorry," she muttered, trying to smile at him. Sometimes it was just hard for her to get over what had happened to her during the war.

"Would you like to wash my hair? Or shall I do it?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"I'll do it," Hermione said, reaching up to touch his silky, blonde locks. "I've always wanted to wash your hair."

He arched his eyebrows at her.

"What? You have gorgeous hair," she said defensively.

He smirked. "Hermione," he half purred, half growled.

"Turn around," she ordered. "Let me wet your hair."

He turned, allowing her small hands to wet his hair. Grabbing the shampoo, she took her time working it through. _He has so much hair!_

Hermione had never thought long hair was attractive on men until she met Lucius Malfoy. For some reason, he looked incredibly sexy with it. _Probably because he keeps it so well groomed._

She eventually finished washing him and he stood. Her jaw dropped at the sight. He looked like a god… An Adonis that was all hers.

Lucius chuckled at her expression before grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist. Taking the second towel, he held it up for her. "Come on; I'm sure you are covered in wrinkles already."

"Yes, but _my_ wrinkles aren't permanent," she countered cheekily, standing up. She blushed momentarily at her nudity before Lucius wrapped the towel around her.

"Are you saying I have wrinkles?" he asked, eyes filled with mirth.

"If the shoe fits." She smirked.

"What shoe? I thought we were talking about my non-existent wrinkles."

Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "Never mind, it's a Muggle saying."

"Ah. Well, come on, let's get dressed and into bed."

Hermione got some shorts and one of Harry's old Quidditch tee-shirts. Using her wand to dry her hair, she quickly finished up in the bathroom.

Walking into the bedroom, she saw Lucius was already in bed. "Come here," he commanded, opening his arms for her.

She slid into the bed, sighing at the feel of the silky sheets.

Lucius wrapped his arms around her tightly, his hands quickly finding their way into her hair.

"Thank you, Lucius," she whispered sleepily.

"For what?"

"For this. For protecting me and allowing me to stay in your home. And for the wonderful date you took me on earlier." She reached up and gave him a quick kiss. Closing her eyes, she drifted to sleep.

"No, thank you, Hermione," he whispered in response. He would protect the small witch in his arms. He would keep her safe.

 


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Merry Christmas to all my lovely followers!! And thank you all for the lovely reviews! I'm really pleased that so many of you are enjoying the story! A huge thanks to my betas, AnnHarrisForever & Krissy.
> 
> Disclaimer: JKR owns the world and characters of Harry Potter, not me. I am making no money from the posting of this story.
> 
> If you are interested in checking out my other works or keeping up with me in general, I have an author's page on Facebook that you can check out (Articcat621's fanfiction) as well as a group (Articcat621's Fanfiction) that I try to be active in daily! I'm also on tumblr (articcat621) that you can follow along with me as well.

**Chapter Eleven**

Hermione awoke the next morning feeling incredibly well rested. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she slept so peacefully. Turning over, she watched Lucius sleep. Seeing him so unperturbed put a smile on her face. His face was relaxed, and his blonde hair was splayed all over the pillow.

Reaching out, she gently twirled her finger around a long, blond strand. He grumbled in his sleep, mumbling something incoherently.

She stifled a giggle. Glancing at his collarbone, she noticed his scars. Hermione frowned, thinking about the war. For the longest time, she had gone on believing that the opposing side didn't suffer as much as they had. Talking with Lucius last night really opened her eyes. The other side hurt just as much even if no one knew about it. She pitied him, though he would be furious if he knew what she was thinking.

Looking back at his face, she saw his grey eyes peering into her brown ones.

"Hi," she mumbled sheepishly.

"Hello," his deep voice replied. His arms appeared from under the sheets and wrapped themselves around her waist. "Did you sleep all right?"

She nodded, pressing her cheek against his chest. "Best sleep I've had in a while."

"Good," he said, kissing the top of her head. "I slept well also."

The feeling of his arms around her made her feel safe. She didn't know who had broken into her apartment and that scared her. What if Lucius hadn't been with her? Would she have been able to hold her own against her attacker?

"Don't fret, Hermione, you'll be safe," he murmured, reading her mind. "We'll Floo Potter once we get ready for the day and ask him if he has found out anything."

Hermione nodded shakily. "I just thought the war was over. All of this is just too much."

"You'll be fine," Lucius assured. "I won't let anything happen to you and neither will Potter or Draco. You're safe."

Peering into his grey eyes, Hermione smiled, letting out a small laugh.

"What?" he asked her.

"Well, thank you for still being here. Any other guy would have turned tail at the sight of danger."

Lucius snorted. "I'm not quite sure where you got that ridiculous notion, but I can assure you that I would do no such thing. I've been on the battlefront before; one small skirmish won't scare me off."

Looking up, she brushed her lips against his. "Thank you, Lucius."

He smirked. "That was delectable; I think I may steal another." He initiated the kiss this time, humming appreciatively against her lips.

After a few moments, Hermione pulled away. "I think we should get ready for the day."

"Are you sure we shouldn't stay in bed longer?" He rolled over, so he was now hovering above her.

Blushing, Hermione nodded. "Yes, I think it would be best if we got ready. I want to see if Harry's found anything out."

Lucius nodded. "Very well, you may shower first and get ready."

"Okay, thank you," Hermione said, getting up from the bed. She grabbed some clothes for the day before disappearing into the bathroom.

* * *

Lucius stood, immediately making his way to his study. He needed to reconnect with some old acquaintances.

* * *

When Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, she saw that Lucius was nowhere to be found. Pursing her lips, she pulled out her wand. Right as she was about to summon her Patronus, a house elf appeared.

"Misses! The Masters told me to lead you to the dining room," the small elf said, its ears flopping happily.

"Oh, all right," Hermione said. "May I ask what your name is?"

"Tippy, ma'am." Tippy gave a small bow. "This way."

Hermione followed Tippy down the hall. She was glad Tippy was there because she knew she wouldn't have been able to navigate the manor all on her own.

"Tippy?" Hermione asked, hoping the small elf would be able to answer some of her questions. "Do the Malfoys treat you all right?"

"Oh yes," Tippy said happily. "I am paid one Knut a week, and I can have time if I want."

That shocked Hermione. "Really? The Malfoys give you time off?"

Tippy nodded. "The Masters are very nice. They weren't always so, but now, yes."

"But don't you want to be free?" Hermione questioned.

"No!" Tippy squeaked. "I like it very much." Her small ears lowered. "Am I a bad house elf, misses?"

"No! Of course not," Hermione assured her. She bent down to look into Tippy's eyes. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't being mistreated."

"Stop terrorising the house elves, Hermione," Draco drawled from the doorway.

Hermione looked up and made a face at him. "I was just asking her some questions."

"Tippy, you're dismissed."

Tippy disappeared with a pop.

"Come on, Hermione." He led her into the dining room where breakfast was laid out. "Father will join us momentarily."

Hermione took a seat near Draco and began to put food on her plate. Her stomach growled eagerly. "Do you always have this much laid out for meals?"

Draco nodded. "Whatever we don't eat is donated to one of the shelters in Diagon Alley."

"The soup kitchen?"

Draco nodded.

Hermione smiled. "It seems I don't know everything about you after all."

"Why would you?" he questioned, his eyes watching her carefully.

"Because we're best friends?"

Draco laughed. "Well, just because we're best friends doesn't mean you get to know all my business."

"Of course it does!" she protested.

Draco grinned at her. "No, I like to keep some secrecy in my life."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Now you're just teasing me."

"Of course I am." He smiled smugly. "I never pass up an opportunity to tease you, my dear."

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to her breakfast. As she ate, she wondered where Lucius was. What was so important that it couldn't wait?

Lucius appeared a few moments later, briskly walking over and taking a seat across from Hermione. He gave her a warm smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Hermione watched as he began to butter some toast. She loved to watch him work. Every little thing he did was so meticulous. The movement of his slender fingers was mesmerising, and Hermione found herself wondering what else his fingers were good at. She blushed, mentally scolded herself for thinking such dirty thoughts at the breakfast table.

"Any luck?" Draco asked, breaking the silence between the three.

"I shall know later today," Lucius answered curtly, not looking up from his food.

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but Hermione cut him off.

"Know what?" she asked, looking back and forth between them.

"Nothing that you need to concern yourself with," Lucius said gently. "I'm sorry I wasn't back by the time you finished dressing. I didn't mean to take so long."

"What were you doing?" she pressed. She didn't care for the suspicious way he was acting.

"As I said, nothing you need to concern yourself with."

Hermione arched her brow. "You know I don't like to be kept out of the loop." He knew that from their workings together so why was he acting that way?

"Just drop it, Hermione," Draco said. "He'll tell you when he's ready."

She pursed her lips, remaining quiet. She silently vowed to figure out what was going on.

"I shall Floo Potter once we finish breakfast so he can come over. Until we figure out what's been going on, you shall remain here at the Manor."

Hermione felt her cheeks grow warm. "Excuse me? But what about work? What about my life? I don't want to be cooped up here."

_How dare he insinuate I'm some useless damsel who can't care for herself! I am more than capable of taking care of myself…_ Anger bubbled in her thoughts.

"Hermione, work isn't a priority right now. Your safety is," Draco said gently, watching the signs of anger appear on her face. He wanted to stop her before she lost it completely. "Besides, both of your bosses insist you take time off."

"No, I have too much to do. The building plans for the Switzerland location has to be approved, the numbers from last week's incident must be double checked, and I have to contact Joffrey about the interest on the loan he—"

"Hermione, stop," Lucius said, cutting off her rant. "There is no need for you to worry about all of these things."

"I don't want to fall behind," Hermione explained. "I know both of you are used to doing what you want when you want, but other people do have deadlines they need to work with."

"You're not going to work," Lucius insisted. "I don't care if I need to say it a million times, you're not going."

"Don't you dare boss me around!" Hermione argued. "I'm not so easily swayed, Lucius."

"Can't you see it's dangerous? Even Potter agrees with me." He mentally groaned in frustration. He knew Hermione was a feisty witch, but this was just ridiculous. It seemed Draco didn't exaggerate about her stubbornness.

"Oh, so you and Harry just thought you'd gang up on me? This is ridiculous." Hermione crossed her arms, sending Lucius a glare.

Draco, deciding that he'd had enough, stood. "Hermione, later today I will take you to the office. You will gather whatever papers you need and then we will take it all back here. You will work from the manor."

Lucius and Hermione both fell silent. It appeared they had both forgotten that there was a solution besides arguing.

Casting a glance at Lucius, whose expression was now unreadable, Hermione nodded. "Yes, please, Draco. I would appreciate it."

"Good, now if you excuse me, I'll go Floo Potter." Draco turned and left the room. He knew the two needed a moment alone.

Hermione stared at her plate, embarrassed about what had just happened.

"I apologise," Lucius said stiffly. "It seems I care too much about your safety."

"There's no need to apologise," Hermione responded. She reached across the table and took his hand. "I know you are right. I was just stubborn."

"Yes, you were." Lucius stood from the table and moved, so he was now on her side of the table. He crouched down in front of her. Taking her hand, he pressed it against his cheek. "I've lost so much throughout my life, Hermione. I don't want to lose you too."

Hermione nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "You won't, Lucius, I promise. I won't go anywhere."

He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him back. His familiar scent filled her nostrils, calming her nerves.

"Do you think we'll always argue?" she asked.

"Of course," Lucius said with a smile on his face. "And it will be about the same topic over and over again. That's just who we are."

"We're both stubborn." Hermione smiled.

"Yes, but I wouldn't change it. It's part of what makes you a wonderful witch." He looked at her, passion in his eyes.

She blushed under his intense gaze. "Lucius, kiss me?" she asked quietly.

"No need to ask."

He pressed his lips to hers, allowing himself to give in to the sensations. It had been so long since he had kissed anyone who had meant something to him. He and Narcissa never kissed. If they did, it was cold and formal, much like their marriage was. Kissing Hermione, however, something some else entirely. It seemed that no matter how tightly he held her, it was never enough. The smallest look from her sent his blood to a boil. To be honest, he was surprised she hadn't noticed his constant erection.

She moaned into the kiss, causing Lucius to groan. His hands slid down her back, moving to her waist. He gripped her tightly, deepening the kiss. Slowly, his hands played with the bottom of her sweater, before slowly sliding under. He gently caressed the bare skin of her sides, sending chills up Hermione's spine.

Hermione gasped, wishing that his hands would move higher. The feel of him was wonderful, she wondered…

A small cough interrupted them.

Abruptly the two broke apart, and Lucius stepped back.

In the doorway was Draco, a large grin on his face. "Sorry to disturb the snogging, but I've brought Harry."

Harry stood behind Draco, a sickly expression on his face. Knowing his friend was dating the older Malfoy was one thing, seeing them snog was another thing completely.

Hermione felt herself blush. She cleared her throat, hoping to move past the awkwardness. "Harry, why don't you join us for breakfast?" she gestured to the table.

Harry smiled. "Thanks. I was in such a rush this morning I didn't have time to eat anything."

The four of them took a seat at the table.

As Harry ate, he explained how the Aurors had run samples on the blood in her apartment and the magical traces that were left behind. The person who had attacked her, however, was not in the system.

"Not in the system? How is that possible?" Lucius inquired, feeling worried.

Harry shrugged, looking nervous himself. "They're unregistered. We've started to contact other countries and asked them to run the information through the system."

"So you think they're from a different country?" Hermione inquired.

Harry bit her lip. "If things were easy, yes. But—"

"Things have never been easy for us, have they Harry?" she asked sadly, already knowing where the conversation was going.

He nodded. "I think we're dealing with someone from Britain. But that makes this situation much more dangerous."

Hermione thought for a moment. "They're dangerous because they've either managed to keep themselves unregistered or they have erased themselves from the archives?"

"Unfortunately, I think the latter is true."

Draco frowned. "But that's… No."

"I don't like it, but it has to be the only option. At least that's what I think. Kingsley wants to wait and see if we can hear back from any other Ministries."

"Wait, why is it so far-fetched someone could erase themselves? People disappear all the time in the Muggle world," Hermione commented, feeling a bit confused.

Lucius paused before answering. "Because, Hermione, the only person can edit the archives like that are high Ministry officials."

 


End file.
